The Anti-Comp is Born

Story by Mike Nick

No official event write up could be found for Masters 1, and it seems we've erased our old website... So we've taken the liberty to draft up a brief flash back to the past to spark your memory.

The year was 2003, the industry was just beginning to take shape with athlete driven brands who had recently begun to make their way amongst skiing's corporate goliaths.

The names and faces of top athletes were much different than those of today... the age of a top level pro was on average, 4 - 5 years older than the youth who currently dominate our sport.

The competition scene was flourishing in terms of quantity, two of the largest events being The US Freeskiing Open put on by FREEZE Magazine and the ever present Winter X Games. Both being Open format events, which at the time was the dominant format of choice.

However, there stood a company amongst the rest who refused to "fall in line", a company who viewed and continues to view the industry through a different set of eyes, a company that prides itself on shaking things up in a way that truly represents the passion of our sport.

Orage decided that it was tired of seeing Open event after Open event pop up across the globe offering eager Ams. a chance to take one run amongst a field of 400 riders in hopes to stand out just enough to battle the pre selected pros awaiting them in the finals.

But that wasn't Orage's style, we seemed to have a difference of opinion... and the Masters was our chance to do it our way... no helmets, no inexperienced cross over snowboard judges, no bibs, no start lists, no pressure... just a good old fashioned jib style slope event that athletes would be stoked to ride in... at sunny Mammoth Lakes, CA.

At that point the team format had not yet been introduced. the only way in which the Masters resembled any other event is that it was every man or woman for themself... with approximately 25 invited athletes on the roster, competitors were divided into heats where the top riders would move onto the next round. In a jam style format, athletes would lap the course as many times as possible in hopes of making a lasting impression on the judging panel made up of fellow pro athletes, at that time on the injured list.

In the end it was (at that time) Mammoth local Tanner Hall who had just come off his second X Games gold medal that would walk away with the first Orage Masters crown. Following him were Phil Larose and Phil Poirer taking second and third with Sarah Burke taking it home for the ladies. And deserving of an honorable mention was Peter Olenick taking the best trick award... which remembering the tricks of that time was most likely a rodeo 7 or a 270 onto a rail with a possible switch up somewhere along the way.

In the end it was the year 2003 and the inaugural Orage Masters that would prove to change the course (no pun intended) of events to come. The Masters has undergone a few facelifts and change ups over the years but one thing remains constant... the Orage Masters remains the true Anti Comp... an event that goes against the grain and continues to be a celebration of all things newschool.

See you at Masters 5

RESULTS - MEN
1. Tanner Hall
2. Phil Larose
3. Philou Poirier

RESULTS - WOMEN
1. Sarah Burke

RESULTS - BEST TRICK
1. Peter Olenick